Chapter 511: A Good Opportunity to Earn Credit, Prototype of a World and Its People, Be Gentle With Me (Part 2)

“The Helian Family choosing to clash head-on with the Tantai Family at a time like this is hardly the right decision. If anything, it will just make public opinion swing entirely in the Tantai Family’s favor.”

“But I suppose a Saint’s Noble Family doesn’t care about such things. They have plenty of ways to suppress and purge dissent after the fact.”

Ao Yin took a sip of wine. She gazed at the long street outside, unconcerned with the situation on Immortal Ascension Island.

Both she and Kong Xuan were simply following orders.

Even if the Demon Calamity erupted and Immortal Ascension Island became a wasteland, it would have nothing to do with them.

“It’s just that with two of the Saints’ Noble Families fighting to the death, who knows how many innocent lives will be caught in the crossfire and die tragically…” Kong Xuan couldn’t quite bear the thought.

Ao Yin shook her head. She knew Kong Xuan’s personality, but she didn’t say anything more.

“There’s something strange about those people…”

Her gaze was fixed on several people browsing at a shop, as if she were contemplating something.

“What’s strange?” Kong Xuan followed her gaze.

It was a few tall men dressed in soft, luxurious satin robes and wearing headscarves. They had gold and silver jewelry wrapped around their wrists and waists, exuding an air of great wealth.

“The aura on them doesn’t belong to the Human Race, yet they’re dressed like human traveling merchants. Their mannerisms are unnatural, too. They’re pretending to look through the shop’s wares, but their eyes are scanning elsewhere…” Ao Yin said flatly, setting down her wine cup.

“They do give off the feeling of a monkey in a crown,” Kong Xuan agreed.

Ao Yin continued to stare at the men.

“But you know that many from the Sea Race have a hard time adjusting when they come to human settlements. They often take on human form to avoid scaring people with their monstrous appearances. Judging by how they look, they’re probably traveling merchants from the sea, here to do business,” Kong Xuan said.

“They’re not from the Sea Race,” Ao Yin said, shaking her head.

“Then what race are they?” Five-Colored Divine Light suffused Kong Xuan’s pupils as she tried to see through the group’s identities.

“The Barbarian Race,” Ao Yin stated matter-of-factly.

Kong Xuan’s expression changed slightly. She looked at Ao Yin, but under the table, her palm waved gently. A barrier materialized, ensuring their conversation couldn’t be overheard.

“Are you sure?” she asked in a low voice.

Ao Yin nodded. “You should know I have a natural talent, one of the Four Great Divine Pupils, alongside the Pupil of Truth. It can see through most illusions and disguises.”

Kong Xuan’s expression suddenly turned grave. “Should we capture them? This could be a good chance to earn some merit. Yuan Kong and the others have been much more behaved lately; it seems they’ve really decided to work for Jiang Lan. If you and I want to regain our freedom, we still have to obediently follow his orders for now, no matter what…”

“Freedom…”

Ao Yin murmured the word, a divine glint flashing through her golden pupils. “Let’s not act rashly, or we’ll alert the enemy. Capturing just a few members of the Barbarian Race won’t accomplish much.”

“Let’s see what they’re planning to do.”

Soon, the two paid with Spirit Stones, concealed their presence, and quietly left the tavern.

In the blink of an eye, night fell.

「Just after 7:00 PM.」

In the Tantai Clan Territory, within the compound where Tantai Qing usually resided.

The mountain peak was silent. Not even the chirp of birds or insects could be heard, making it seem exceptionally tranquil.

Outside the bedchamber, pine needles rustled in the wind, their shadows dancing in the lamplight. A clear spring trickled down the peak, its DING-DONG sound like a gentle melody.

Inside the chamber, a Golden Lamp burned beside an Incense Burner, making the room not only bright but also filling it with a warm, spring-like aura.

On the large rosewood bed, Tantai Qing was dressed in sheer gauze as thin as mist. Her black hair was unbound, and she seemed to have just bathed; her skin, as smooth and translucent as white jade, was still dewy with moisture.

She sat cross-legged, her slender hands forming seals as if practicing a certain Cultivation Technique.

With each breath, wisps of thin mist flowed from her mouth and nose. The mist drifted like colorful clouds, manifesting in the Void as a series of different, alluring figures.

Upon closer inspection, one would find that these figures were identical to her in facial features.

The only difference was their expressions: some were as cold as ice, some were charming to the bone, some were cute and playful, and others were bashful and shy…

Not far away, Jiang Lan sat quietly by a jade table, observing Tantai Qing’s actions without a sound so as not to disturb her.

Soon, as her cultivation session ended, the mist dissipated completely, transforming back into vital energy and flowing back into her body.

Tantai Qing’s eyes snapped open. Her jewel-like, crystalline pupils reflected Jiang Lan’s unparalleled face.

“You truly are promising material. With your exceptional comprehension, you’ve already mastered the essence of it in such a short time.”

Jiang Lan smiled and stood up, walking toward her.

Tantai Qing showed no shyness or hesitation. She looked at him directly, rolled her eyes, and said, “You won’t teach me any truly powerful Cultivation Techniques, like the Four Holy Spirits Divine Techniques, and instead make me learn these useless tricks. How does that prove my comprehension is amazing?”

“This is no ordinary Cultivation Technique. It’s the Sect’s Secret Scroll from the Nether Abyss Sect of Celestial Central Province. As for whether it’s useful or not, you’ll find out in a moment,” Jiang Lan said with a slight smile.

“The Nether Abyss Sect?”

Tantai Qing had heard of this Sect. It was one of the top Immortal Sects in Celestial Central Province, on par with the Jasper Pool Sect, the Ancient Inquiring Sect, and the Yijian Sect, possessing a legacy thousands of years deep.

“Hmph. It’s just a worthless technique, hardly anything impressive.” She snorted, hoping to coax another Cultivation Technique out of Jiang Lan before whatever he had planned.

“The Six Desires Demon Skill you practice doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation either,” Jiang Lan said with a smile as he drew near, bent down, and wrapped his arm around her slender waist.

“You bastard…”

“Be gentle with me…”

Knowing what was to come, Tantai Qing shot him a hateful glare, then lifted her face, wrapped her arms around his neck, and responded in kind.

「The next day, a fine drizzle was still falling from the sky.」

The air outside the window lattice felt much fresher, and the sky, in turn, seemed to have brightened with a touch of color.

‘The Qi of the Six Desires and the Qi of the Seven Emotions are indeed profound. They contain the very foundation of mortal life in the Red Dust. But extracting and refining pure Red Dust Qi from them will still take some time.’

‘Furthermore, the quantity isn’t enough. Based on Tantai Qing’s current cultivation level, it will take half a year at the very least to obtain enough Red Dust Qi for me to condense the prototype of my Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect.’

‘But half a year is too long.’

Jiang Lan stood by the window, an outer robe draped casually over his shoulders, as he gazed at the scenery outside.

His brow, however, was furrowed.

Refining Red Dust Qi wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight, and he needed a considerable amount of it.

Although breaking through to the Seventh Realm within half a year would be considered astonishing for someone his age, Jiang Lan still felt it was too slow, that he was wasting time.

The main reason was that Jiang Ruxian’s cultivation and strength had always been a weight pressing down on him.

It wasn’t a sense of urgency, but simple annoyance.

‘Even if I have Tantai Qing teach me the Six Desires Demon Skill, it would still take time to gather the Qi of the Six Desires, which can’t compare to her years of accumulation.’

‘However, a Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect forged with all living beings as its foundation, once it evolves to Great Success, will encompass the world and all its inhabitants. It could even allow me to grasp the mysteries of the world ahead of time.’

Jiang Lan’s decision to conspire with his father this time, scheming against a Saint’s Noble Family, was actually because of this opportunity.

If he could use a complete Little World with a deep foundation as his base, integrating both his Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect and his domain into it, then he would essentially possess his own Little World while still in the Seventh Realm.

At that point, even a Saint would find it difficult to deal with him.

Even when facing a Great Power of the Eighth Realm, he would have an Innate advantage that would place him in an invincible position. He could even borrow the World Power of his Little World to suppress his enemies.

A method like that was a complete dimensional takedown.

‘Looks like I’ll just have to make her… help me cultivate more often.’

Jiang Lan glanced back at Tantai Qing, who was still asleep. Devoid of her usual bossiness and arrogance, her sleeping face looked serene and beautiful.

Strands of hair were strewn messily across her face, making her look both pure and enchanting.

As if vaguely sensing the miserable life that awaited her, Tantai Qing’s brow furrowed in her sleep.

But Jiang Lan had already pushed open the chamber doors and left.

He had only just left when he received an anxious report from You’Er: his two followers, Ao Yin and Kong Xuan, had disappeared.

The one who first discovered this was Xiang Xiao of the Sea God Race.

Last night, she had sent a message to Kong Xuan to report on the activity in the area she was responsible for, but the message vanished like a stone in the ocean, with no reply.

When it came to matters assigned by Jiang Lan, Kong Xuan would always respond, whether there was anything to report or not.

This abnormality made Xiang Xiao suspicious, so she sent someone to inquire. As it turned out, not even the personnel under Ao Yin and Kong Xuan’s command knew where they had gone.